2 Samuel 12:13
‘Then David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the LORD.”
“The LORD has taken away your sin,” Nathan replied. “You will not die.”‘
The Lord was merciful to David. God didn't mete out to David what he did to Uriah. God loved Uriah. A few verses earlier, Nathan shared the story of the man and the beloved sheep. It was a touching story. So much so that David walked right in and condemned himself. God saw the love story of Uriah and Bathsheba as a dear one. Yet David bullied himself between them and eventually had Uriah killed.
Uriah was a faithful warrior who didn't want to betray his fellow warriors. I don't think this story went public, it would have embittered the army against David. It was bad.
David confessed to Nathan. I'm sure he was embarrassed. He may have been frightened that it would get out. No words were shared about that. The punishment would be public, I'm not sure if the sin was. In time it was in scripture as we are reading it.
We are flawed people. I'm sure we all have things we're ashamed of and hope they never get out. God isn't interested in embarrassing us. He wants us to know that He knows. It's why Jesus had to go to the cross. Our sin was more than embarrassing. It makes us guilty which is enough to keep us out of God's presence.
However, Jesus paid the price. God forgave us. Yet, we aren't to forget our sin. We aren't to wallow in shame, but we are to understand it was our sin that required Jesus to die. I John 1:9 says, "If we confess our sin, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sin and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
We are clean. This is something to get excited about. We have blown it and deserve consequences. Some times we'll get them. But we are still forgiven and clean. Even though we may have to suffer through some results, we can still go to God.
This is a big deal. We got a second chance (and a third and a fourth, ...). Even if others may be angry or disappointed, we can still go to God. He does much more than understand us, He is for us. Yes, we've sinned, but He will still take us in.
We should alway be grateful to God. His death on the cross was a great sacrifice. It was done in a wrong and humiliating way. Isaiah 53:7 says, "He was oppressed and afflicted, yet He did not open His mouth. He was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so He did not open His mouth." Jesus fulfilled this. There was a sham trial with false witnesses who were contradicting each other. Jesus had to say He was God to save them from wrecking the trial. It was falling apart. 'And they said, "What need do we have of any more witness? For we ourselves have heard it from His mouth."'
We can't get angry with the pharisees for it was also our sin that crucified Jesus. The apostle Paul shares the story when he met Jesus on the road to Damascus. "I fell to the ground and heard a voice say to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me?’" Our sinful actions are indirectly towards God. He isn't seeking to rub our noses in it, but we should know. We are guilty.
We may have been walking with the Lord for years when we sin again. We need to confess it. We should show sorrow and repentance. Our sin nature is an ever present reminder that we are fallen. Redeemed yes, but we have our sinful flesh still with us who is capable of sin. We will sin again. We will go through the process of repentance, sorrow, then gratitude for God's great grace.
Thank You, God for Your great sacrifice and forgiveness. Like David, You have taken away our sin.